Camper has spent half of his life producing and writing for artists. With Campilation, his debut album, he brings his voice to the forefront without abandoning his roots. “I didn’t want to be the guy whose story was he has talents, but he hid them and didn’t use them,” says Camper.
In the days leading up to his album release, Camper is at his Los Angeles studio, which he calls The Camp. The Grammy-winning producer is reflecting on his natural progression from behind the boards to getting behind the mic. “I can sing, and I have more than one talent,” he asserts. “Now, I’m at the point where I’m comfortable showing that.”
Campilation is a collection of 11 tracks with cross-generational features from Stevie Wonder, Brandy, Jill Scott, Lucky Daye and Ari Lennox, among others. His collaboration with Wonder, who appears on “Love Me,” was something he manifested almost 15 years ago.
He’s reminded of a post he shared on Twitter (now X) in 2012: “Wish I could get Stevie to play harmonica on this interlude I did, that’s the only thing it’s missing.” “Man, I said that?” Camper asks, eyes widening as they peek through his palms. “That’s crazy. I was just putting that out there. I was talking to God, manifesting.”
Wish I could get Stevie to play harmonica on this interlude I did, that’s the only thing it’s missing.
— ⛺️ (@Caammper) June 4, 2012
“Love Me” isn’t the same song that Camper tweeted in 2012 but it still came full circle. “I didn’t even know I even said that back then. Thank you so much for bringing that back to my memory; that even makes it even more special.” Camper connected with Wonder while visiting a Los Angeles radio station. It was around the time “Waiting On You,” his collaboration with Tone Stith and a top 5 Billboard hit, was heating up airwaves.
During an interview with host Tammi Mac, Camper was asked to name three of his dream collaborations. “I was like, ‘Frank Ocean, Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder,’” he recalls. “As soon as I said Stevie Wonder, he walks in. My heart was beating so fast. I’m like, ‘Did y’all know I was going to say this? What is happening, man?’ We hugged. He sat down next to me and joined the interview.”
Camper continues, “He’s telling me how much he loves [‘Waiting On You’]. I’m like, ‘I need you on my album.’ He says, ‘What do you want to do? You want me to sing? You want me to play? Let me know.’ I was like, ‘You know what? Just play.’” Camper went to Wonder’s studio the next day, where he recorded his harmonica parts.
On “Love Me,” Camper yearns to make it official with a romantic interest but wants to ensure it’s mutual. After he gives the ultimatum — “It’s either you love me or you don’t” — Wonder’s harmonica appears in the song’s second half, while Camper’s background vocals drift like clouds on a sunny day. “I couldn’t have done that myself. It was a night that I would never forget,” he says. “It feels like a dream. Every time I play it, I get emotional. I’m beyond blessed and grateful because that doesn’t happen.”
Below, Camper opens up about finding the confidence to showcase his vocal talent, what he learned from Brandy, and why he’s paying it forward to the next generation of producers and songwriters.
On Campilation, we hear you singing more and not just writing and producing. Was your intention to showcase your vocals?
Yes, because I can sing and I have more than one talent. Now, I’m at the point where I’m comfortable showing that. I can produce R&B songs my whole life. I love rap. I can do country. I can do a lot of things, but for me, R&B is king. So let me show you what else I can bring to the table. I’m giving you my all. That’s what you hear on this album.
You said “now” you’re comfortable with showcasing your vocals. When was the moment you started feeling that way?
When I was working with Brandy on B7. She gave me a lot of confidence that I never really foresaw before. She was telling me how she loved my voice and that I sound like Stevie Wonder, but in my own way. Those things are comforting. When Stevie Wonder heard my voice and my song, that was another thing because he could have said no; that gave me a lot of confidence, too. The greats are stamping me and showing love to me. I can’t take that for granted. I can’t hide my talents. I got to give you everything because I can.
What does it mean to you when you see “featuring Stevie Wonder” on your song?
It means the world. It makes me feel so good to know I’m in alignment with what God has for me because there’s no goodness of my own.
What did you learn from working closely with Brandy?
Discipline. How to love your craft even on a deeper, spiritual level. I learned how to take care of your body — what to drink, the type of tea, what should be in your tea, and even studio vocal etiquette. It was a dream being beside her then and it is a dream to still be with her now.
What story did you want to tell with Campilation?
It was as simple as, “Let me do it my way.” I’m like, “OK, I break an artist, and sometimes that artist doesn’t come back. That artist goes and lives life.” Respectfully, yes, go crazy. It’s all love at the end of the day. But when I see a certain artist not having the same success as we were per se, it makes you feel a way because it’s like, “If you would’ve stayed, we would’ve continued to escalate higher than ever.” So a couple of times that was done, and I’m like, “You know what? Let me keep stuff for me. Let me put it in my pocket and see what I can do. Let me bet on myself. Let me take a chance on me.” [Campilation is] a point to myself that not only could I do it, but I want to see the world react to my perspective. I want to see how you take it.
How would you describe your process of recruiting collaborators for the album?
It’s simple: You love on me, I’m going to show you the same love. If we’re in a studio, doing a couple of songs and we’re locked in, if I want to do a song I want for myself, I shouldn’t feel uncomfortable asking you for that. Ty Dolla $ign is my brother for life. I love him so much. If you do so many songs together, it’s like, “Yo, I need you for my album, bro.” He’s like, “Bet.” When the love is there, it makes it easy to do whatever needs to be done.
Lucky Daye appears on the new single “Tonight.” What’s the story behind that one?
I was throwing listening parties for my debut singing album called Coming Back. I was going through my breakup, and I’m like, “You know what? I’m going to do an album.” I started in Miami and ended up at Record Plant in LA. Every Friday, it was lit. Everybody was coming through. One of those days, I was playing “Tonight,” but Lucky wasn’t on it yet. When I played it for him, he was like, “Yo, can I touch it?” I was like, “Man, if you don’t go in that booth and lace me bro.” He went in and went crazy. It was that simple.
Victoria Monét is featured on “Love You.” Could you talk about working with her and what you were trying to achieve with that one?
She’s a dream to work with. She’s so loving and caring; it’s a joy that I can experience someone like her in my lifetime. This is probably going to go down as one of my best bodies of work. That’s how I feel. It was so easy for us to connect and go to that next level. The last five months, I’ve been going crazy with her. I’m happy I get to share how I feel sonically with her, and she can receive it, and vice versa. We have a lot of songs too. So I said, “Yo, what are you doing with ‘Love You’? I need it for my album.” She said, “All right, bet.” We already got a million songs together, so she was cool.
You told Rated R&B in 2023, “R&B is mine to take.” Where do you see yourself within the R&B community?
King. You’ll see why I say that. Besides my album, I’m the executive producer of Victoria Monét’s album and it’s greatness. I’m really in my stride right now; it feels great, and I want to continue to keep it going. I know what I’m bringing. So I confidently say that with all due respect.
How would you reflect on your legacy so far, and where do you see yourself going next?
Camper is consistent; he’s consistently R&B. From Backstreet Boys’ “Shattered” [and] R. Kelly’s “Echo” at 17 years old, going from that to when Raven-Symoné was a huge artist at Disney, to “Trust and Believe” [by] Keyshia Cole, to “Love and War” [by] Tamar Braxton, to “Refill” by Elle Varner. Once you think it’s over, it keeps evolving; then H.E.R. happened, then Ne-Yo [and] Ledisi; it kept getting crazier and crazier. Camper has a sound and stayed true to that sound — I stayed true to that sound. Camper is going to give you all he has because Camper has been doing that all his life. Camper feels like he’s just now getting started. So, imagine me doing all this for everybody else half my life; now, the other half of my life, I want to focus on me.
As you’re focusing on your creative ambitions, have you found yourself in a position to mentor a new crop of producers and songwriters?
For sure. I have some young hitters working with me: Rob [Burge-Debose] on bass. He’s an incredible producer and bass player. He’s playing bass on “Waiting on You” and “OOWEE” [featuring Jill Scott and Ty Dolla $ign] — he produced that with me. We got Justin Bieber records together. Sean Wander is another producer I work with a lot; he’s incredible as well. So it’s like, they look to me, and I pull from them as they pull from me. We just learn and grow because, at the end of the day, I can’t do it by myself. It’s not me, me, me, me. It’s [about] who I can help build [so they can] build another person. It’s like, how can our community grow?
Stream Camper’s new album Campilation here.